Star Wars #37

IMPERIAL PRIDE

Written by Jason Aaron
Penciled by Salvador Larroca
Cover by Mike Mayhew
Published Oct 4 2017

   Sergeant Kreel trains with his lightsaber but is too slow, as pointed out by Darth Vader. He tells the Stormtrooper he will never be a sith. Kreel tells him he's a trooper to the core. Vader uses the force to pull the saber from his hand, asking what makes him worthy of such a weapon. Kreel tells him that if he fails him again, he'll take his own life. Vader returns it saying to check out the Horox system for signs of a rebel outpost and to make himself worthy when the emperor walks in. Kreel tells him it's an honor to kneel in his presence.

Kreel thinking "This dude is MUCH uglier in person..."

   Later on in that very system, an Overlord demands the smaller aliens serve him when Kreel arrives. The overlord demands they leave and Kreel introduces him to Zuke, a massive, hulking trooper. He beats the monster and later Kreel shootshim, freeing the enslaved little ones. They cheer and Kreel reminds them that they need information in return for the alien's freedom.

HOORAY! Great things happen when Stormtroopers show up. Am I right? Guys?!

   That information appears to be just what the SCAR Squadron was looking for. They approach with lasers flying. Kreel describes meeting the Emperor in awe. He tells the rest of the squad to move along and deals with a small pack himself. They fire their lasers but are woefully unmatched. The trooper inner-monologues why they will win, and about the natural order of things, etc. Summarily he kills them all, and sitting atop their bodies and covered in blood, his comrades find him covered in blood. 

Look what I did!

   Afterwards, C3PO and R2 scan the burning location but report to the Princess they have found no signs of life. She tells Sana she would like to bury the dead but Han reminds her, they have to leave. Luke walks up and reveals a message. It reads "Greetings from Scar Squadron, long live the empire". Leia declares war, and as they burn the bodies, they admit it's not one they'll win today. As they walk away we see the sorrow in their eyes as this issue comes to an end.

Who's got the S'mores? Rebels sure know how to waste a good bonfire.

   Following this tale is a 10 page mini-comic penciled by one of my faves, former Old Man Logan artist Andrea Sorrentino. It details the brutal life of the sand people on Tatoine.

 Read from the journal of Ben Kenobi, it helps to explain just what our favorite tuskens have had to endure. Plus stunning artwork. That coupled with the tale of the Empire's most ruthless trooper, General Kreel, help to deliver a homerun. I give this one a 10/10.

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